World of Pageantry

I'm perplexed by the large number of guys I see in high school jazz bands wearing black shirts, black pants and white ties. Why it is everywhere? It is a horrible look, especially for the stage, where the lights make the tie stand out like a flourescent tube.

*points to jazz band forums*

[quote="formermarcher"]*points to jazz band forums*[/quote]


Hey! formermarcher

I know this is kind of off-topic. But what do you plan on doing after graduation.

POrtiz_USCGuard wrote:

formermarcher wrote:*points to jazz band forums*

Hey! formermarcher

I know this is kind of off-topic. But what do you plan on doing after graduation.

I'll send you a PM about that...best keep the topic as clear as possible.

Money? Or directors just not wanting to go out and get a uniform? there are a variety of reasons, but I doubt any of them are that a director thinks that they look better.

For one reason, the judges look to see how the band looks.

Torrance High uses black slacks, maroon shirts, and grey ties. School colors. It doesn't have to be just black and white.

I was in the jazz ensemble in my school in the 1970s. We wore shirts with matching patterns, in our choice of three colors, with black trousers and our choice of footwear. The nice thing about everyone wearing the same outfit is that when we were on tour, it was easy to find each other.

My band wears a "uniform". All black. "Wow, why all black?" After a couple years of jackets and ties (with no negative comments), I was told that my band needed to have a uniform and I didn't want to waste rehearsal time worrying about it. One quick decision and a two second explanation to my kids and we were playing. It's a million times easier than "go here, get this brand of shirt. This brand of tie in this color at this store." Guys in jackets and ties and ladies in comparable attire. They don't look like a rag tag group and nothing is taken away from the music by their appearance.

I understand judges and parents like the way bands look in "uniform". I just think that some people are taking it a little far. I think if you are going to show up in uniforms, you have to back that up. A band in tuxes or pinstripe suits that doesn't throw down on stage is pathetic. I know, there is a dress code for every big band in some way, shape or form. I just don't think uniform mom's need to be involved in dressing your jazz band. Tell the kids to wear something nice (church clothes if that's ok to say) and then get back to playing. Obviously jeans and t-shirts are tough to pull off without looking like bums but there is a very large acceptable area between the two ends of the spectrum.

Everyday, Jazz on the High School level gets pushed closer and closer to the field but that is a whole different can of worms.

Black shirts and pants with a funky tie is what we do at Brea. It gives the kids a chance to express themselves with some kind of crazy tie and it keeps the rest nice and simple. No one has ever complained and the kids look nice.

It doesn't really matter what you look like, if the band can't swing then they can't swing. It's not like marching band where smoke and mirrors can cover a bad musician. There must also be a reason why on the SCSBOA jazz adjudication forms appearance and stage presence are only worth 5 whole points.

Just play the music......

Jsaxm wrote:Black shirts and pants with a funky tie is what we do at Brea. It gives the kids a chance to express themselves with some kind of crazy tie and it keeps the rest nice and simple. No one has ever complained and the kids look nice.

It doesn't really matter what you look like, if the band can't swing then they can't swing. It's not like marching band where smoke and mirrors can cover a bad musician. There must also be a reason why on the SCSBOA jazz adjudication forms appearance and stage presence are only worth 5 whole points.

Just play the music......

'zackly! Back in the 70's when I was in high school, our stage band wore either jeans/band t-shirt or black pants/solid color dress shirt ---- basically, depending on the venue or occasion. Chaffey Jazz Festival was a jeans/t-shirt day and judges could care less about what we were wearing. We won 3 soloist awards......

with us, it's just our school colors: blue shirt, gold tie, black pants no big deal

last year for jazz band, our BD made our jazz band wear these ugly green polo shirts [school color] and black pants. it was horrible.

this year and all the years before it's a suit for the guys [dress shirt, tie and jacket if they want] those can be any color.
and the girls wear dresses
and they all wear some sort of fancy shoes.

for us, it's black button-up shirt, black slacks, tie and suspenders optional on most occasions. if we have consecutive days of performances, for the least important performances, we wear white shirts and black slacks.

We use parts of our old marching band uniform (Rowland HS). The old uniform meaning the ones with the black trench coats and blue flame vests inside. For Jazz band, we wore either a black or white dress shirt inside and wore the blue vest on the outside. Tie was up to you.

We don't actually compete, so it doesn't matter as much.

Wow, now I know for sure my jazz band uniform is weird. It's not really a uniform, either. My director just told us to wear black slacks, sock, and dress shoes with bright dress shirts. The dress could shirts could be any color as long as it were bright. No black, white, gray, or any dull color. I guess we were aiming for the colors of the rainbow to symbolize the cultural diversity of our community. We purposely tried to get everyone a different color and get all varieties of colors. I've felt uncomfortable before at competitions because every other band was in concert black, while we stood out like a rainbow, but now I don't mind it at all and feels pretty nice to stand out.